View Current

Staff Recruitment Rule

This is the current version of this document. To view historic versions, click the link in the document's navigation bar.

Section 1 - Overview

(1) The University of New England recruits staff based on the principles of merit, equity and transparency to ensure it attracts and retains staff who will make a positive contribution to the University's values, culture and strategic objectives.

Top of Page

Section 2 - Scope

(2) This Rule applies to the Recruitment of all staff, with the exception of casual staff. The Rule must be read in conjunction with relevant legislation, the current Collective Agreements and related policies. This rule applies to all University Representatives.

Top of Page

Section 3 - Rule

(3) A Recruitment process must not be commenced without the approval of the Head of Cost Centre.

(4) The establishment of a new position must be approved by the Head of Cost Centre on the basis of an approved budget and workforce plan, the relevant Senior Executive as well as the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic Positions)/Chief Operating Officer (Professional Positions). As part of the University's Merit Selection process, all positions that require recruitment must be advertised on the UNE Web and appropriate media as determined by the Director HRS or delegate. Exceptions to this are transfers on grade, fixed-term appointments for periods less than twelve months, Early Career Academic appointments made in accordance with the Academic Collective Agreement, internal secondments and grant-funded positions that specified the appointment of specific staff.

(5) Direct appointments (i.e. outside a Merit Selection process) for a permanent position, or a position in excess of twelve months (including internal secondments), must be approved by the Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive Officer or delegate.

(6) External recruitment agents may be used in exceptional circumstances as determined by the Director People and Culture or delegate. For example, exceptional circumstances may include recruitment for an executive, specialist or industry-specific role. The Director People and Culture or delegate must approve and oversee the use of all external recruitment agents.

(7) For Professional Staff, the classification of the position being recruited must have been reviewed within the last two years.

(8) A selection panel will be used to assess applicants as part of the Merit Selection process. Normally, the selection panel will:

  1. be approved by the Director People and Culture or delegate;
  2. be convened and chaired by the Supervisor;
  3. comprise persons of seniority at least equivalent to the role being recruited;
  4. comprise persons who do not have an actual or perceived Conflict of Interest;
  5. comprise at least two people, including the Chair, who have undertaken selection panel training;
  6. include a person external to the Cost Centre of the role being recruited;
  7. have representation from both genders; and
  8. Identified Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander positions and positions within the Oorala Aboriginal Centre, will comprise of at least 50% Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander membership, including the Aboriginal Employment Officer, where practicable.

(9) Selection Criteria will be used for each Recruitment process. Selection Criteria must not be varied by the Selection Panel. To rank the most capable candidate(s) each applicant will be assessed as a whole against the following:

  1. responses to the Selection Criteria;
  2. curriculum vitae, qualifications and experience;
  3. other documents provided; and
  4. interviews (shortlisted candidates).

(10) A minimum of two reference checks is Normally obtained by the Chair of the Selection Panel to confirm the preferred candidate's merit against the selection criteria, before the final selection decision is made.

(11) The Recruitment process for Academic appointments may include an open/closed seminar by candidates. Candidates may be exempted by the Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive Officer (or delegate) from a requirement to deliver a seminar as part of the recruitment process. Seminars must not be attended by other candidates.

(12) Offers of employment must only be made by the Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive Officer or delegate.

(13) Confidentiality across all aspects of the Recruitment process must be maintained and staff should have access to recruitment information on a 'need to know' basis. The process will be conducted in a manner that respects all candidates' confidentiality.

(14) Any legislative requirements for pre-employment checks (such as visa status or Child-Related Employment) will be identified and actioned by HRS staff.

Authority and Compliance

(15) The Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive Officer, pursuant to Section 29 of the University of New England Act 1993 (NSW), makes this University Rule.

(16) UNE Representatives must observe it in relation to University matters.

(17) The Rule Administrator is the Director People and Culture who is authorised to make Policies and Associated information for the operation of this University Rule. The Policies and Associated information must be compatible with the provisions of this Rule.

(18) This Rule operates as and from the Effective Date.

(19) Previous policy on Staff recruitment and related documents are replaced and have no further operation from the Effective Date of this new Rule.

(20) Notwithstanding the other provisions of this University Rule, the Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive Officer may approve an exception to this Rule where the Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive Officer determines the application of the Rule would otherwise lead to an unfair, unreasonable or absurd outcome. Approvals by the Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive Officer under this clause must be documented in writing and must state the reason for the exception.

Top of Page

Section 4 - Definitions

(21) Child-related Employment - means employment of certain kinds that primarily involves direct contact with children (under the age of 18) where that contact is not directly supervised by a person having the capacity to direct the person in the course of their employment as defined in Section 33 of the Commission for Children and Young People Act 1998.

(22) Conflict of Interest - a conflict of interest may arise where an employee has the responsibility to make, or participate actively in making, decisions or recommendations relating to the employment of another individual, which makes it difficult for the employee to be objective, or that for a reasonable person would create the appearance that the employee may not be objective.

(23) Cost Centre - means the relevant School, Directorate or other business unit.

(24) Collective Agreements - means the UNE Academic and English Language Teaching Staff Enterprise Agreement 2020-2022, the UNE Professional Staff Enterprise Agreement 2019-2022, each as extended or varied from time to time, and is taken to include any agreement that replaces or varies one or more of these documents.

(25) Early Career Academic appointment means an appointment under Clauses 9.2 and 11.1 of the UNE Academic and English Language Teaching Staff Enterprise Agreement 2020-2022.

(26) Effective Date is the date on which this Rule will take effect.

(27) Merit selection - means a formal selection process that is designed to find and select the most capable candidate for the position being recruited. In determining the most capable candidate, regard should be had to the nature and duties of the position and the abilities, qualifications, experience and standard of work performance of the candidate that are relevant to the performance of those duties. Note: In this policy, internal expressions of interest are permitted within the definition of merit selection, and are permitted only in relation to Early Career Academics and appointments for less than 12 months.

(28) Normally - means it is the default position that must be followed unless exceptional circumstances exist that require a departure from the default position, as determined by the Rule Administrator acting reasonably. The exceptional circumstances and determination of the Rule Administrator must be recorded in writing and appended to the Selection Panel Report.

(29) Recruitment - means the process of sourcing, selecting and appointing the best qualified candidate for an open position and includes analysing the requirements of a position, attracting applicants, screening and selecting applications and hiring and integrating the new employee into the University.

(30) Selection Criteria - means an appropriate statement of the skills, knowledge, experience and attributes considered essential or desirable for the position.

(31) Supervisor - means the role to whom a position reports to.

(32) UNE Act means the University of New England Act 1993 (NSW).